The Meenahga Grange building on Main Street in Waldoboro was sold in December to the Keystone Association. (Alexander Violo photo)
Meenahga Grange 555, of Waldoboro, has dissolved and sold its downtown headquarters.
The Grange sold its building at 860 Main St. in Waldoboro to the Keystone Association, according to records on file at the Lincoln County Courthouse in Wiscasset.
King Solomon’s Lodge 61 lists 860 Main St. as its headquarters on the Grand Lodge of Maine website.
Meenahga Grange Master Ruby Parker said the Grange sold the building to the Masons in November 2017.
“They had been using it before, so it made sense for them to take it over,” Parker said.
The Grange dissolved the following month, in December 2017, according to Parker.
Parker said factors impacting the decision to dissolve Meenahga Grange included a decline in membership and expenses associated with the Waldoboro property.
“We had a dwindling membership and couldn’t afford to keep the building,” Parker said.
Parker said additional reasons were an aging membership and the fact that half the Grange’s members lived outside Waldoboro.
Parker said Meenahga Grange’s remaining members will merge with Willow Grange, on Washington Road in Jefferson.
Willow Grange Secretary Laurie McBurnie said all members of Meenahga Grange were transferred automatically to Willow Grange and will retain their status with the Grange as part of the transfer.
Grange membership has dwindled in communities across the country and other
Granges in Lincoln County have dissolved. A Grange must have at least seven members to stay open.
In 2009, Nobleboro Grange 369 merged with Meenahga Grange.
According to the National Grange website, the Grange provides opportunities for individuals and families to develop to their highest potential in order to build stronger communities and states, as well as a stronger nation through fellowship, service, and legislation.
The Grange, officially the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, came to prominence in the mid-19th century as a fraternal organization to encourage families to work together to promote the economic and political well-being of agriculture and community, according to the website. The first Grange was founded in Washington, D.C. in December 1867.
